https://arab.news/jqz63
A major UK pivot to the Asia-Pacific region has been underway now for several years during the post-Brexit era. However, there has been a significant intensification of this shift in recent months, with the country seeking to seize what has been called the “Asia-Pacific moment.”
Later this month, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to visit Beijing — his first trip to the nascent superpower since he assumed office. The agenda will be shaped by the economic opportunity for the UK in the vast Chinese market. This follows up on Starmer’s trip to India last fall, and his visit to the Pacific island of Samoa in 2024 for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Building from these trips, just before Christmas, the UK reached a trade deal with South Korea, the fourth such agreement in 2025 for London, following UK agreements with the EU and India, plus a US tariff deal. The South Korea accord is forecast by London to grow UK services exports by £400 million (about $540 million). This includes improved access to a growing financial market, building on £1.1 billion in financial and insurance exports in 2024.
The South Korea deal will secure continued, permanent UK tariff-free access across 98 percent of tariff lines, the same terms the EU has with South Korea. It will also update rules of origin that will simplify tariff-free access and will open doors for greater diversification across supply chains for sectors such as automotive and pharmaceuticals. Smaller businesses could be particular winners by streamlining custom processes and reducing South Korean non-tariff barriers.
